The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:1-34)

2022-10-29

The Day of Atonement was a feast kept once a year. An atonement is a reparation for a wrong (see 2 Samuel 21:1-6). Sin is a heinous breach between us and God; in ancient Israel, this solemn feast was kept to purge sin in different ways. Leviticus 16:1-34 shows us this in detail.

The Israelites could not enter the holy place any time they wanted. In fact, only the high priest could go in, once a year, in a very specified manner. This is where God met with His people: “for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat” (Leviticus 16:2). If someone would go into the holy place, who was not the high priest and not entering in the required fashion, he would die.

The high priest had to offer to sacrifices for himself to enter the holy place: a young bullock and a ram (Leviticus 16:3). He had to wear the required holy linen garments. He had to wash himself thoroughly (Leviticus 16:4).

The sins for the Israelites required two goat kids for sin offerings and a ram burnt offering (Leviticus 16:5). Lots were cast to determine which goat would be the regular sin sacrifice and which one would be the scapegoat (Leviticus 16:8). Incense of fire was burnt before the Lord, creating a cloud before the mercy seat, “that he die not” (Leviticus 16:13). Blood from the high priest’s sacrifice was to be sprinkled directly onto the mercy seat (the ark lid) (Leviticus 16:14). Then the blood for the people’s sacrifice, the goat, was also brought into the holy place and sprinkled onto the mercy seat (Leviticus 16:15). The blood of the sacrifices must be put onto the horns of the altar, as the altar needs atonement (Leviticus 16:18). Everything was sprinkled seven times, the number signifying completion.

However, the sin of Israel was confessed over the scapegoat, and he was released into the wilderness. The wrath of God had to be satisfied by the blood, but the issue of sin remained. Sin had to be carried away from the people. “And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness” (Leviticus 16:21).

The purpose of all this is summarized here: “For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD” (Leviticus 16:30). Atonement was for the sanctuary, the tabernacle of the congregation, the priests, and the people (Leviticus 16:33). It was only once a year (Leviticus 16:34) and everyone fasted (“afflict your souls” in Leviticus 16:31) and did no work (it was a sabbath).

There is a lot of heavy symbolism here. There were sacrifices that atoned for sins for all the people and the high priest; they all were sinners needing their sins purged. Blood had to be brought into the presence of God; without blood there is no remission of sin (Leviticus 17:11). It was sprinkled seven times, as sin needs complete atonement. The solemnity is seen in the fasting and resting. Sin needs atonement, but it also needs to be removed completely from us. The blood secures the forgiveness; the purpose of the second goat was to carry our sins away from us forever. There is perfect and precise purification required. The high priest had to do everything perfectly. Even the tabernacle/Temple needed atonement.

Jesus Christ fulfilled all of this. He was the High Priest without sin. He went into the heavenly Holy Place offering His own blood. He secured our forgiveness of and our deliverance from sin:

  1. The death (blood) of Christ secured our forgiveness. The sacrificed goat represents this aspect of what Christ did.
  2. The resurrection life of Christ secured our deliverance. The scapegoat represents this aspect of what Christ did.
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10)
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

Because of this, we can freely go into the presence of God in His holy place. The atonement of our sin breach has been secured with God.